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Martin McHugh

Proposal to NSF from Loyola University New Orleans RUI: Search for a stochastic background of gravitational radiation with LIGO and the ALLEGRO resonant detector. Martin McHugh. 5500 students primarily liberal arts undergraduate institution University includes College of Arts and Sciences

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Martin McHugh

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  1. Proposal to NSF from Loyola University New OrleansRUI: Search for a stochastic background of gravitational radiation with LIGO and the ALLEGRO resonant detector Martin McHugh PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  2. 5500 students • primarily liberal arts undergraduate institution • University includes • College of Arts and Sciences • College of Business • College of Music • Law School PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  3. Department of Physics • Enrollment of about 30 undergraduates in physics and pre-engineering (3-2 program with Tulane University) • Strong motivation for student involvement in research PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  4. Physics Faculty Creston (Mickey) King (chair) Carl Brans Martin McHugh Daryl Steinhart (visiting faculty) currently conducting a faculty search, will begin another search next Fall PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  5. My Background • PhD in precision measurements with Jim Faller at JILA • Postdoc with the LSU bar group • Joined Loyola faculty in 2000 • Joined LSC in 2001 • Participation in LSC stochastic background upper limits working group PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  6. Stochastic background of gravitational radiation • Extremely interesting potential source • Observational limits are very weak • Unique opportunity with the proximity of LLO-ALLEGRO • Detection through cross correlation with optimal filter PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  7. LLO - ALLEGRO correlation • Good overlap (40 km separation) – sensitive to different frequency range than LLO-LHO • Modulate the signal – rotate to align/misalign antenna patterns * • Independent technology – less likely to have ‘built-in’ correlations *Modulating the experimental signature of a stochastic gravitational wave background, Lee Samuel Finn and Albert Lazzarini Phys. Rev. D 64, 082002 (2001) xxx.lanl.gov/abs/gr-qc/0104040 PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  8. PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  9. Research activities • Collaboration with (mainly) UTB and LSU groups on LLO-ALLEGRO stochastic background experiment • Bar-ifo stochastic code tested in Mock Data Challenge and subsequent quasi-MDC at UTB CVS archivehttp://fermat.utb.edu/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/qmdc-200111/ • Rotation of ALLEGRO implemented • Plan for extra data channels, frame data etc. PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  10. Future Activities • Participate in upcoming E7 engineering run (will be a very rough first try) and subsequent analysis (won’t be near real time) • Participate in science and engineering runs as sensitivity improves • Goal of upper limit Ωgw< 0.1 near 900Hz PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

  11. Lots to do! • Testing and implementation of cross correlation code for GW channel and PEM channels (heterodyning etc.) • Understand data -- characterize PEM and GW correlations • Purchase and install Streckheisen STS-2 seismometer • Implement signal injection • Many good undergraduate research projects Experiment should be done, need liason and manpower to make it happen Extremely valuable to be within driving distance of both sites PAC 11, LIGO Hanford Observatory

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